New Year's Honours List Doesn't Include Heroes Of Grenfell Tower Or Terror Attacks

The government faces questions after it was revealed the New Year’s honours list doesn’t include heroes of the Grenfell Tower fire, Manchester or London terror attacks.

Those awarded gongs include Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, who is given a knighthood alongside former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

However, many figures from the Grenfell fire and attacks on Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park are notably absent from Friday evening’s list.

It comes after calls from newspaper columnists and people on social media for first responders and emergency service personnel to be honoured.

“Theresa May... when you are giving out honours think of Grenfell and think of the brave London Fire [Brigade] and emergency services,” one person urged the Prime Minister on Twitter.

“I hope they all receive due recognition in the New Year honours list. A list free of celebrity froth, and civil servant careerists, wouldn’t go amiss,” columnist Tom Richmond wrote last week in The Yorkshire Post.

First responders to the terror attacks across Britain this year have been recognised elsewhere.

Heroic frontline NHS staff who helped victims were given special recognition and a standing ovation at a major health industry conference in September.

Firefighters who attended Grenfell were awarded the This Morning Emergency Services prize at last month’s Pride of Britain awards.

And the entire community around the west London tower block was given special recognition at the same event.

The New Year’s honours process can take many months to complete, with a government secretariat receiving 10,000 enquiries from the public each year, resulting in some 3,000 nominations.

As well as suggestions from the public, government departments ask schools, hospitals and other bodies for ideas on who to nominate.

A group of committees sits to consider suggestions across areas such as voluntary and community service, education, health, and the economy.

Once a list is compiled, it is sent to the Queen through the Prime Minister and Downing Street.

System ‘relies on nominations’

Those whose heroism became apparent in the days following Grenfell and recent attacks could be honoured at a later date.

Another list, the Queen’s Birthday Honours, will be announced in June 2018.

And while first responders were not included, Met Police Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey - who was acting chief at the time of March’s Westminster terror attack - was knighted.

In a press statement, the Cabinet Office said the honours system “relies on nominations” and that these remain open all year round.

And with reference to Grenfell and recent terror attacks, it said: ”[W]e urge everybody to nominate the person in their lives that they think deserves an honour.

“We continue to see inspirational action by people up and down the country - and not least in response to significant events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, or recent terrorist attacks.”

A total of 49% of the recipients on the list are women: 551 out of 1,123. A total of 9.2% are BAME and 5% are disabled.